I don't know what to do, cats are literally running my household. I have never had a pet in my entire life until about 5 years ago when I adopted my first cat so I am very new to this and really unsure of what to do since I have read so many conflicting things. Many websites say to squirt, while many websites say not to. But what AM I supposed to do then, if not to discipline?
Anyways, after my first cat we soon decided to get him a playmate for when my boyfriend and I would be at work during the day. It was working out very nicely and then about 2 years ago I found two abandoned kittens and decided to take them in. So I now have 4 cats and they are all exhibiting behavioural issues and I don't know what to do. They ALL scratch the carpet even though I've bought them 2 scratching posts and a pad. I see in the sticky regarding this that you say to use tinfoil and other things to wrap your couches in, but there is no way i can cover my entire floor with something! One of the cats also shreds door frames from scratching. I have been trying to put them on the scratching post every time I see them scratching, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all...
Another issue I have is with cat aggression towards one another. My oldest has become new best friends with my youngest so needless to say the second oldest is feeling resentment since he and the oldest used to be best friends. Now they are getting in CRAZY fights...and I mean CRAZY....My one cat literally sounds like he is being murdered he is screaming so loud and they've even gotten serious injuries from these fights such as a large scratch to the eye. Luckily it healed over fine, but being a student with not much cash flow, I don't want to be having to bring my cat to the vet all the time due to fights within my household!
I also have a problem with them knocking things off tables. If I leave a glass of water on any counter or even on my night stand, they will knock it over and spill it all over the floor. The same thing happened with a little fishy I got! My landlord found an abandoned fishy in one of the apartments after he found out one of the tenants fled. He was going to flush it, but knowing I was a pet lover, he knocked on my door and asked if I wanted it. I took him in and we had him for a couple weeks and he was absolutely thriving in his new environment, but I came home one day to find my cats knocked him over and killed him! I was so distraught because I felt like it was my fault
I feel like I should have put him in another room, but then how am I supposed to enjoy seeing him!? I also received flowers from my work for administrative assistant's day and they knocked them over and ravaged them in the night!
I seriously don't know what to do, my cats are destroying everything. I can't have any nice things anymore. (my cats even chewed up my $400 prescription glasses in the night) grrrr!! The thing is they know it is bad, they don't do it when I'm around (except for the fighting and carpet scratching) but they do all this stuff when I'm not home so I'm not there to stop it and on top of that I never know which cat did! Please help me!
Anyways, after my first cat we soon decided to get him a playmate for when my boyfriend and I would be at work during the day. It was working out very nicely and then about 2 years ago I found two abandoned kittens and decided to take them in. So I now have 4 cats and they are all exhibiting behavioural issues and I don't know what to do. They ALL scratch the carpet even though I've bought them 2 scratching posts and a pad. I see in the sticky regarding this that you say to use tinfoil and other things to wrap your couches in, but there is no way i can cover my entire floor with something! One of the cats also shreds door frames from scratching. I have been trying to put them on the scratching post every time I see them scratching, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all...
Another issue I have is with cat aggression towards one another. My oldest has become new best friends with my youngest so needless to say the second oldest is feeling resentment since he and the oldest used to be best friends. Now they are getting in CRAZY fights...and I mean CRAZY....My one cat literally sounds like he is being murdered he is screaming so loud and they've even gotten serious injuries from these fights such as a large scratch to the eye. Luckily it healed over fine, but being a student with not much cash flow, I don't want to be having to bring my cat to the vet all the time due to fights within my household!
I also have a problem with them knocking things off tables. If I leave a glass of water on any counter or even on my night stand, they will knock it over and spill it all over the floor. The same thing happened with a little fishy I got! My landlord found an abandoned fishy in one of the apartments after he found out one of the tenants fled. He was going to flush it, but knowing I was a pet lover, he knocked on my door and asked if I wanted it. I took him in and we had him for a couple weeks and he was absolutely thriving in his new environment, but I came home one day to find my cats knocked him over and killed him! I was so distraught because I felt like it was my fault
I seriously don't know what to do, my cats are destroying everything. I can't have any nice things anymore. (my cats even chewed up my $400 prescription glasses in the night) grrrr!! The thing is they know it is bad, they don't do it when I'm around (except for the fighting and carpet scratching) but they do all this stuff when I'm not home so I'm not there to stop it and on top of that I never know which cat did! Please help me!